Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program

Abstract

To perform an appropriate preliminary operation according to the situation around a target object.SOLUTION: A first preliminary operation control unit performs a first preliminary operation in which the first preliminary operation is suppressed when the degree of approach between a target object and a vehicle satisfies a second condition and when a specific condition is satisfied. A second preliminary operation control unit performs a second preliminary operation in which the second preliminary operation is suppressed when the degree of approach between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, when no space where the vehicle can travel is determined to be present in both travel paths on the lateral sides of the target object after avoiding contact by steering at the time point when the third condition is satisfied, and when the specific condition is satisfied. The specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation where the vehicle needs to accelerate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, an invention of a vehicle control device that performs automatic deceleration control and automatic steering control has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-50010 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Vehicles that can perform automatic steering control in addition to automatic deceleration control have a higher probability of being able to respond quickly to sudden changes in the vehicle's surrounding environment, resulting in a relatively high degree of control margin. On the other hand, if there is no avoidance space to the side of the target object, automatic steering control becomes difficult, resulting in a degree of control margin that is no different from vehicles that only perform automatic deceleration control. Conventional technologies have sometimes been unable to operate in response to such environmental differences.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide a driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program that can perform appropriate preparatory actions according to the surrounding conditions of a target object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A driving assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a braking control unit that refers to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present ahead of a vehicle, and instructs a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition, and a steering avoidance control unit that instructs the steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering. The braking control unit includes a first preparatory movement control unit and a second preparatory movement control unit. The first preparatory movement control unit performs a first preparatory movement when the proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition, and performs a first preparatory movement with the first preparatory movement suppressed when the proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the second condition and also satisfies the specific condition. When the degree of proximity satisfies a third condition, and when the third condition is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space in any of the lanes to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object, and the specific condition is not satisfied, a second preparatory movement is performed; when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the third condition, and when the third condition is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space in any of the lanes to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object, and the specific condition is satisfied, a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed is performed; the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition, and the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation in which acceleration is required.

[0007] (2) In the above aspect (1), the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation in which another vehicle accelerates or the speed of the vehicle is restricted.

[0008] (3): In the above-mentioned aspect (1) or (2), the scene is a scene in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, a scene in which the vehicle has passed the entrance to a toll road, a scene in which the vehicle has passed the exit of a toll road, a scene in which the vehicle has passed the exit of a service area, a scene in which the vehicle is merging from a branch line onto a main line, or a scene in which the vehicle is merging from a main line onto a branch line.

[0009] (4): In any of the above aspects (1) to (3), suppressing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means delaying the timing of performing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (4), the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is a movement to increase the deceleration rate of the vehicle or a movement to notify the driver of the vehicle.

[0011] (6): In any of the above aspects (1) to (5), the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is a movement that increases the deceleration rate of the vehicle, and suppressing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is suppressing the degree of increase in the deceleration rate.

[0012] (7): In any of the above aspects (1) to (6), the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is a movement that notifies the driver of the vehicle, and suppressing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means suppressing the degree of notification given to the driver of the vehicle.

[0013] (8): In any of the above aspects (1) to (7), the first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit determines the degree of suppression or the manner of suppression depending on the type of the scene.

[0014] (9): In any of the above aspects (1) to (8), the scene is a scene in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, and the first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit determines the degree or manner of suppression depending on the gradient of the uphill road.

[0015] (10): In a driving assistance method according to one aspect of the present invention, a driving assistance device refers to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present in front of a vehicle, and when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition, instructs a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle and instructs a steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering, and when a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition, performs a first preparatory movement, and when a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the second condition and satisfies the specific condition, performs a first preparatory movement with the first preparatory movement suppressed, and when a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition and the third condition is satisfied, When it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lateral running paths of the target object in which progress can be made after the steering-based evasion is performed and the specific condition is not satisfied, a second preparatory movement is performed; the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition; when the third condition is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lateral running paths of the target object in which progress can be made after the steering-based evasion is performed and the specific condition is satisfied, a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed is performed; the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition; the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition; and the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation in which acceleration is required.

[0016] (11): A program according to one aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: referencing an output from a detection device that detects the presence of an object in front of a vehicle; and, when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition, instructing a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle; instructing a steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering; performing a first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition; performing a first preparatory movement with the first preparatory movement suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies the second condition and the specific condition; and, when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition and the third condition is satisfied, and a process of performing a second preparatory movement when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object after performing the steering-based evasion and the specific condition is not satisfied; and a process of performing a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition and, at the time when the third condition is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object after performing the steering-based evasion and the specific condition is satisfied; and the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition, and the specific condition is that the vehicle encounters a situation where acceleration is required. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the above aspect, it is possible to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding situation of the target object. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a driving assistance device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of functions of the driving assistance device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operating scene of a steering avoidance control unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a preparatory movement. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a flow of processing executed by the driving assistance device. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 3) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a fourth diagram for explaining the control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a fourth diagram for explaining the control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a scene where a main line merges into a support line. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of control pattern information 140. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of control pattern information 142. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of a driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] [Overall configuration] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle M equipped with a driving assistance device 100 according to an embodiment. The vehicle M may be, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source may be an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0021] The vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, a driving operator 80, a driving assistance device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by multiplexed communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configurations may be added.

[0022] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is attached to any location of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as vehicle M) in which the vehicle system 1 is installed. When capturing an image of the front, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. The camera 10, for example, periodically captures images of the periphery of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0023] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may detect the position and speed of an object using an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0024] The LIDAR 14 irradiates the surroundings of the vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 may be attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0025] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1. Some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and the object recognition device 16 are examples of "detection devices."

[0026] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, a speaker, a buzzer, a vibration generator (vibrator), a touch panel, switches, keys, and the like.

[0027] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, a direction sensor that detects the direction of the vehicle M, and the like.

[0028] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, a guidance control unit, and a storage unit storing map information. The GNSS receiver identifies the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be identified or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that uses the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The guidance control unit, for example, determines a route from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant by referring to map information, and causes the HMI 30 to output guidance information so that the vehicle M travels along the route. The map information is, for example, information that represents road shapes using links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The map information may include road curvature, POI (Point of Interest) information, and the like. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and destination of the vehicle M to a navigation server via a communication device and acquire the route from the navigation server.

[0029] Driving operators 80 include, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a steering wheel, a shift lever, and other operators. Driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to some or all of driving force output device 200, braking device 210, and steering device 220.

[0030] Traveling drive force output device 200 outputs a traveling drive force (torque) to the driving wheels for the vehicle to travel. Traveling drive force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components according to information input from driving assistance device 100 or information input from driving operator 80.

[0031] Braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from driving assistance device 100 or information input from driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. Braking device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in driving operator 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that braking device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from driving assistance device 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0032] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steered wheels in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0033] [Driving assistance devices] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a braking control unit 110, a steering avoidance control unit 120, and a second preparatory movement control unit 130. The braking control unit 110 includes a first preparatory movement control unit 112, and the second preparatory movement control unit 130 includes a steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132. These functional units are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Furthermore, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device.

[0034] Settings are made within the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that instructions from the driving support device 100 to the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 are executed with priority over detection results from the driving operator 80. Regarding braking, if the braking force based on the operation amount of the brake pedal is greater than the instruction from the driving support device 100, the latter may be set to be executed with priority. Furthermore, communication priority on the in-vehicle LAN may be used as a mechanism for executing instructions from the driving support device 100 with priority.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the functions of the driving support device 100. Each part of the driving support device 100 will be described below with reference to this diagram and FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a vehicle M is traveling on a three-lane road and is in the central lane L2. M is the direction of travel of vehicle M.

[0036] The braking control unit 110 refers to the output of a detection device (described above) that detects the presence of an object ahead of the vehicle M, and when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies a first condition, instructs the brake device 210 and / or the driving force output device 200 to decelerate and stop the vehicle M. The target object TO is an object that is on the same road as the vehicle M and in the direction of travel of the vehicle M, excluding objects that the vehicle M can climb over, such as manholes, and that the vehicle M must avoid contacting. The braking control unit 110 extracts such an object and sets it as the target object TO. In the example of FIG. 2, the other vehicle at the rear of the vehicle is set as the target object TO in the conventional example. The road is, for example, a lane, but it may also be a virtual lane that the vehicle M sets virtually on a road surface without road dividing lines. The same applies to the following description.

[0037] The "degree of proximity" is expressed by various index values ​​indicating the degree of proximity between objects. For example, the "degree of proximity" is TTC (Time To Collision), which is an index value calculated by dividing the distance by the relative velocity (positive in the direction of approaching each other). If the relative velocity is negative (positive in the direction of moving away from each other), the TTC is temporarily set to infinity. The smaller the TTC value, the higher the "degree of proximity." Satisfying the "first condition" means, for example, that the TTC is less than a first threshold value Th1. The first threshold value Th1 is, for example, a value of about a few tenths of a second. Instead of the TTC, an index value having similar properties, such as headway, distance, or other index value, may be used as the "degree of proximity." Furthermore, the TTC adjusted to take into account acceleration and jerk may be used as the "degree of proximity." In the following description, the "degree of proximity" is assumed to be the TTC.

[0038] When the TTC is less than the first threshold value Th1, the braking control unit 110 instructs the braking device 210 and / or the traveling driving force output device 200 to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a first deceleration B1, for example. The first deceleration B1 is, for example, a deceleration of about a few tenths of a second [G] (close to 1). As a result, the braking control unit 110 quickly decelerates and stops the vehicle M, thereby avoiding contact with the target object TO. The ECUs of the braking device 210 and the traveling driving force output device 200 have the function of calculating the brake output, regenerative control amount, engine braking amount, etc. from the instructed deceleration, and the ECUs determine the respective control amounts based on the instructed deceleration and the speed of the vehicle M. This is a known technique, so a detailed description will be omitted.

[0039] The operation of the first preparatory movement control unit 112 will be described later, and the steering avoidance control unit 120 will be described first.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operating scene of the steering avoidance control unit 120. When the braking control unit 110 determines that it is difficult for the vehicle M to stop before the target object TO, the steering avoidance control unit 120 determines whether or not there is space available for the vehicle M to proceed on the road to the side of the target object TO (e.g., lanes L1 and L2), and if it determines that there is space, it generates an avoidance trajectory ET and instructs the steering device 220 to cause the vehicle M to proceed along the avoidance trajectory ET (steering avoidance). For example, the steering avoidance control unit 120 determines whether or not there are objects in lateral areas extending from slightly in front of the target vehicle to the rear of the target vehicle on both sides of the target vehicle TO, such as areas A2L and A2R shown in FIG. 3, and if there are no objects, it determines that there is space available for the vehicle M to proceed on the road to the side of the target object TO. The determination of whether or not it is difficult for the braking control unit 110 to stop the vehicle M before the target object TO may be made by the braking control unit 110 or the steering avoidance control unit 120. The steering avoidance control unit 120 also recognizes the boundaries of the road, for example by recognizing white lines and road shoulders in camera images, and if either of the drivable areas A2L and A2R does not exist in the first place, for example, if either of the lanes L1 and L3 does not exist, it may determine that an object exists in that area.

[0041] Steering avoidance is performed when there is a sudden change in the environment around the vehicle, such as when the target object TO decelerates unexpectedly, or when an object other than the recognized target object TO comes between the vehicle M and the target object TO and is set as the new target vehicle TO. In such a situation, the deceleration calculated in advance to stop the vehicle in front of the target vehicle TO may not be sufficient, but the steering avoidance function can increase the probability of being able to respond to a sudden change in the environment around the vehicle.

[0042] [Preparatory Action] The following describes the processing of the first preparatory movement control unit 112 and the second preparatory movement control unit 130. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the preparatory movements.

[0043] When the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies a second condition (for example, when the TTC is less than a second threshold value Th2), the first preparatory movement control unit 112 performs a first preparatory movement to notify the driver of the vehicle M of the presence of the target object TO. The first preparatory movement is, for example, an operation to instruct the brake device 210 and / or the traveling driving force output device 200 to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a second deceleration B2 during the period from when the TTC becomes less than the second threshold value Th2 to when the TTC becomes less than the first threshold value Th1. The second deceleration B2 is a deceleration that is smaller (closer to zero) than the first deceleration B1. The second threshold value Th2 is a value greater than the first threshold value Th1. Therefore, the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition.

[0044] The second preparatory movement control unit 130 performs a second preparatory movement to notify the driver of the vehicle M of the presence of the target object TO when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies a third condition (for example, the TTC is less than a third threshold value Th3) and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the target object TO at the time the third condition is satisfied. The determination regarding the available space is made by the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132. The third threshold value Th3 is a value greater than the second threshold value Th2. Therefore, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition.

[0045] For example, when the TTC becomes less than the third threshold value Th3, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 determines whether or not an object exists in lateral areas extending from slightly in front of to slightly behind the target vehicle TO on both sides of the target vehicle TO, such as areas A1L and A1R shown in FIG. 4. If no object exists, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 determines that there is space in the road to the side of the target object TO where the vehicle M can proceed. The areas A1L and A1R are set to be larger than the areas A2L and A2R, respectively, taking into account future uncertainties, for example. Like the steering avoidance control unit 120, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 also recognizes the boundaries of the road, for example, by recognizing white lines and road shoulders in camera images. If either of the drivable areas A1L and A1R does not exist, for example, if either of the lanes L1 and L3 does not exist, the steering avoidance feasibility determination unit 132 may determine that an object exists in that area. In the example of FIG. 4, since no object exists in the area A1R, the steering avoidance possibility determining unit 132 determines that there is a space in which the vehicle M can proceed on the road to the side of the target object TO.

[0046] The second preparatory operation is, for example, an operation instructing the brake device 210 and / or the traveling drive force output device 200 to first output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a third deceleration B3, and then instructing the brake device 210 and / or the traveling drive force output device 200 to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a fourth deceleration B4, during the period from when the TTC becomes less than the third threshold value Th3 to when the TTC becomes less than the first threshold value Th1. The third deceleration B3 is, for example, a deceleration smaller (close to zero) than the second deceleration B2, and the fourth deceleration B4 is a deceleration larger than or approximately the same as the second deceleration B2 and smaller than the first deceleration B1. The timing of switching from the third deceleration B3 to the fourth deceleration B4 may be set arbitrarily. For example, when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the 1.5 condition (for example, when the TTC is less than the threshold value Th1.5), the third deceleration B3 is switched to the fourth deceleration B4. The condition 1.5 is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of approach is higher than that of the condition 2. When the second condition is satisfied, the deceleration rate may be switched from the third deceleration rate B3 to the fourth deceleration rate B4.

[0047] In this way, the second preparatory movement is initiated earlier and in multiple stages compared to the first preparatory movement. As described above, in a situation where steering avoidance is possible, the probability of quickly responding to a sudden change in the vehicle's surrounding environment is higher, and the control margin is relatively high. On the other hand, if there is no avoidance space to the side of the target object, even if the vehicle has a steering avoidance function, it becomes difficult to execute the function, and the control margin is the same as that of a vehicle that can only perform automatic stopping. In other words, in a situation where steering avoidance is difficult, it is preferable to alert the driver of the vehicle M more quickly and effectively than in a situation where steering avoidance is possible. According to this embodiment, by starting the second preparatory movement earlier and performing it in multiple stages compared to the first preparatory movement, an appropriate preparatory movement can be performed according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100.

[0049] First, the braking control unit 110 identifies the target object TO (step S1). Next, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than a third threshold value Th3 (step S2). If the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is equal to or greater than the third threshold value Th3, the process returns to step S1.

[0050] If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the third threshold value Th3, the steering avoidance possibility determination unit 132 of the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines whether there is space on the road to the side of the target object TO where the vehicle M can proceed (step S3).

[0051] If it is determined that there is no space in the road to the side of the target object TO that allows the vehicle M to proceed, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 executes a second preparatory movement (step S4). Next, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to or exceeds a third threshold value Th3 (step S5). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to or exceeds the third threshold value Th3, the process returns to step S1.

[0052] If it is not determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to or exceeded the third threshold value Th3, the braking control unit 110 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1 (step S6). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is greater than or equal to the first threshold value Th1, the process returns to step S3. If a positive determination is obtained in step S3, the second preparatory movement is stopped, and the processes from step S8 onwards are executed. If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1, the braking control unit 110 causes the brake device 210 and / or the traveling driving force output device 200 to output a braking force that decelerates the vehicle M at a first deceleration B1, thereby slowing and stopping the vehicle M (step S7). At this time, as described above, steering avoidance may be performed instead of (or in addition to) decelerating and stopping the vehicle M.

[0053] If the determination in step S3 is affirmative, that is, if the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the third threshold value Th3 and there is space in the road to the side of the target object TO where the vehicle M can proceed, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 of the braking control unit 110 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the second threshold value Th2 (step S8). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2, the process returns to step S1.

[0054] If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the second threshold value Th2, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 executes the first preparatory movement (step S9). Next, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2 (step S10). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to equal to or greater than the second threshold value Th2, the process returns to step S1.

[0055] If it is not determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO has increased to or exceeded the second threshold value Th2, the braking control unit 110 determines whether the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1 (step S11). If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is greater than or equal to the first threshold value Th1, the process returns to step S3. If a negative determination is obtained in step S3, the first preparatory movement is stopped, and the processes from step S4 onwards are executed. If it is determined that the TTC between the vehicle M and the target object TO is less than the first threshold value Th1, the braking control unit 110 outputs a first deceleration B1 to the brake device 210 and / or the traveling driving force output device 200 to decelerate and stop the vehicle M (step S7).

[0056] According to the embodiment described above, when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space in any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO in which the vehicle M can proceed after steering to avoid the target object TO, a second preparatory movement is performed that is started earlier than the first preparatory movement, thereby making it possible to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding conditions of the target object TO.

[0057] In the above embodiment, in either the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement, instead of outputting a braking force, a display, an audio output, a vibration output, or the like may be performed to call attention. In this case, examples of performing the second preparatory movement in multiple stages include, instead of outputting a braking force in stages while changing the deceleration rate as described above, differentiating the attention level (contrast, brightness, color, etc.) of the first display screen from the second and subsequent display screens, differentiating the content or volume of the first audio output from the second and subsequent audio outputs, or increasing the vibration output from the second and subsequent times compared to the first vibration output, etc.

[0058] In the above embodiment, if the branch road to the destination set in the navigation device 50 is on either the left or right side of the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling, the vehicle may be forced to change lanes during the preparatory movement. This will ultimately move the vehicle M in a direction closer to the destination, and guide the vehicle M to a state where no object that could be the target object is near the vehicle M.

[0059] In the above example, the processing when the vehicle M does not satisfy a specific condition has been described. When the specific condition is satisfied, the vehicle M performs processing that is different from when the specific condition is not satisfied. The specific condition is when the vehicle M encounters a situation where acceleration is required. The vehicle M encountering a situation where acceleration is required may mean, for example, that the vehicle M is currently encountering the situation, or that the vehicle M will encounter the situation after a predetermined time (or after traveling a predetermined distance).

[0060] The specific condition is when vehicle M encounters a situation where another vehicle is accelerating or when vehicle M encounters a situation where the speed of vehicle M is being restricted. Examples of situations that correspond to the specific condition include a situation where vehicle M is traveling on an uphill road, a situation where vehicle M has passed the entrance to a toll road, a situation where vehicle M has passed the exit of a toll road, a situation where vehicle M has passed the exit of a service area, a situation where vehicle M is merging from a branch road onto a main road, and a situation where vehicle M is merging from a main road onto a branch road.

[0061] [Control that is executed when specific conditions are met (1)] The first preparatory movement control unit 112 performs the above-mentioned first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle M satisfies the second condition but does not satisfy the specific condition, and performs a first preparatory movement that suppresses the above-mentioned first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle M satisfies the second condition and also satisfies the specific condition.

[0062] The suppression includes one or both of suppression method 1 and suppression method 2. Suppression method 1 is to delay the timing of performing the preparatory movement. Suppression method 2 is to suppress the degree of increase in the deceleration rate below the degree of increase in the deceleration rate performed in the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement). Suppression method 2 may be to suppress the degree of notification below the degree of notification performed in the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement). Examples of these methods will be described below.

[0063] 6 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining the control executed when a specific condition is satisfied. When the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the second condition and also satisfies the specific condition, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 does not perform the first preparatory movement, but when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the second # condition (for example, when the TTC is less than the second threshold value Th2#), the first preparatory movement is performed to notify the driver of the vehicle M of the presence of the target object TO. The second threshold value Th2# is a value smaller than the second threshold value Th2 and larger than the first threshold value Th1. Therefore, the second # condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition.

[0064] The example in FIG. 6 shows a scene in which vehicle M is traveling on an uphill gradient UH. The same applies to FIGS. 7 to 9, which will be described later. In the example in FIG. 6, target object TO is present on the uphill gradient UH, but target object TO does not have to be present on the uphill gradient UH. Vehicle M also does not have to be present on the uphill gradient UH, or it may be present on the uphill gradient UH. When the speed of vehicle M is suppressed, the first preparatory movement (or second preparatory movement) is suppressed.

[0065] FIG. 7 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining control executed when a specific condition is satisfied. The following mainly describes differences from FIG. 6. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 performs the first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the second condition and also satisfies the specific condition. In this case, the intensity of the first preparatory movement is suppressed compared to the first preparatory movement performed when the specific condition is not satisfied. For example, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 controls the vehicle M at deceleration B2 when the specific condition is not satisfied, and controls the vehicle M at deceleration B2# when the specific condition is satisfied. Deceleration B2# is a deceleration smaller than deceleration B2. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 may control the deceleration to deceleration B2 when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the second condition and also satisfies the specific condition.

[0066] In the above example, the deceleration is suppressed, but instead of (or in addition to) this, the degree of notification may be suppressed. Furthermore, the process of suppressing the degree of deceleration or notification and the process of delaying the timing of deceleration or notification may be performed in combination. For example, the timing of deceleration or notification may be delayed, and the degree of deceleration or notification may be suppressed at that time.

[0067] For example, when traveling on an uphill grade UH, the vehicle M may accelerate so as not to decelerate excessively on the uphill grade UH. In this case, if the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) is performed without being suppressed, an excessive burden may be placed on the occupants of the vehicle M. For example, the traveling of the vehicle M may become unsmooth, and it may not be desirable to perform the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) without being suppressed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses the first preparatory movement when a specific condition is satisfied, thereby making it possible to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding situation of the target object.

[0068] [Control that is executed when specific conditions are met (2)] FIG. 8 is a diagram (part 3) for explaining control executed when a specific condition is satisfied. The second preparatory movement control unit 130 does not perform the second preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the target object TO at the time the third condition is satisfied (for example, when the TTC is less than the third threshold value Th3#), and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the target object TO at the time the third condition is satisfied (for example, when the TTC is less than the third threshold value Th3#), and when the specific condition is satisfied (for example, when the TTC is less than the third threshold value Th3#), the second preparatory movement control unit 130 performs the second preparatory movement. The third threshold value Th3# is a value smaller than the third threshold value Th and larger than the threshold value Th1.5. Therefore, the third condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the third condition.

[0069] FIG. 9 is a diagram (part 4) for explaining the control executed when a specific condition is satisfied. The following mainly describes differences from FIG. 8. The second preparatory movement control unit 130 performs the second preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the lanes to the side of the target object TO after steering to avoid the target object TO, and when the specific condition is satisfied. In this case, the intensity of the second preparatory movement is reduced compared to the second preparatory movement performed when the specific condition is not satisfied. For example, the second preparatory movement control unit 130 controls the vehicle M at deceleration B3 when the specific condition is not satisfied, and controls the vehicle M at deceleration B3# when the specific condition is satisfied. The deceleration B3# is smaller than the deceleration B3. The second preparatory movement control unit 130 may control the deceleration to B3 when the degree of proximity between the target object TO and the vehicle M satisfies the third condition and the specific condition.

[0070] In the present embodiment, as described above, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses the second preparatory movement when a specific condition is satisfied, thereby making it possible to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding situation of the target object.

[0071] [Control that is executed when specific conditions are met (3)] The first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement may also be suppressed as described above when the vehicle M has passed through an entrance or exit of a toll road (or a road with an entrance or exit). FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 5) for explaining control that is executed when a specific condition is satisfied. The following mainly describes differences from FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 10, when the vehicle M passes through an entrance or exit of a toll road, other vehicles may accelerate to ensure smooth traffic in the area where the entrance or exit has passed, and it is preferable for the vehicle M to also accelerate. In such a case, the driving assistance device 100 may suppress the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement.

[0072] As described above, when a specific condition is satisfied, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement, thereby making it possible to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding situation of the target object.

[0073] [Control that is executed when specific conditions are met (4)] The specific scene may be a scene where a vehicle merges from a main lane to a support lane. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a scene where a vehicle merges from a main lane to a support lane. In the example of FIG. 11, a vehicle M and a target object TO are present in a lane L1, which is a branch lane. The target object TO is present in a connection area AR. The lane L1 disappears ahead of the target object TO.

[0074] In a situation such as that shown in FIG. 11, it may be preferable for the vehicle M to accelerate in order to merge smoothly. In such a case, if the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) is performed without being suppressed, it may not be preferable for a smooth merge. For this reason, when a specific condition is satisfied, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement), thereby enabling an appropriate preparatory movement to be performed in accordance with the surrounding conditions of the target object. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the timing of performing the first preparatory movement is delayed.

[0075] Although not shown in the drawings, the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement may also be suppressed as described above when vehicle M exits a service area (enters the main line). Furthermore, the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement may also be suppressed as described above when vehicle M enters a branch line branching off from the main line. For example, consider a case where vehicle M enters the branch line from the main line, with the main line congested and the branch line not congested. When vehicle M travels from the main line to the branch line, it may accelerate and proceed onto the branch line. If the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is not suppressed in such a situation, the driver may feel uncomfortable. In this embodiment, when a specific condition is satisfied, driving assistance device 100 suppresses the first preparatory movement (or the second preparatory movement) to perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[0076] [Control that is executed when specific conditions are met (5)] The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 may change the suppression pattern depending on the type of scene. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines the control pattern, for example, by referring to control pattern information 140 stored in a storage device of the driving assistance device 100. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the control pattern information 140. The control pattern information 140 includes restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement. The restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and the restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement are each associated with a control pattern for each scene.

[0077] The control pattern for each scene is, for example, information that associates the timing (delay) of performing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement with the deceleration or the level of notification corresponding to the movement. The control pattern is, for example, information that is generated experimentally or based on the behavior of the vehicle when passing through a specific area. The control pattern is generated, for example, to reduce the driver's discomfort or to prevent the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement from being performed excessively. For example, if the scene is an uphill slope, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 employs pattern A, and if the scene is the entrance to a toll road, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 employs pattern B. This allows a more appropriate preparatory movement to be performed according to the surrounding conditions of the target object.

[0078] [Control that is executed when specific conditions are met (6)] The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 may change the suppression pattern depending on the characteristics of the scene. For example, the suppression pattern may be changed depending on the gradient of an uphill slope. The first preparatory movement control unit 112 or the second preparatory movement control unit 130 determines the control pattern by, for example, referring to control pattern information 142 stored in the storage device of the driving assistance device 100. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the content of the control pattern information 142. The control pattern information 142 includes restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement. The restriction pattern information for the first preparatory movement and the restriction pattern information for the second preparatory movement are each associated with a control pattern for each characteristic of the scene.

[0079] The control pattern for each scene characteristic is, for example, information that associates the timing (delay) of performing the first or second preparatory movement with the deceleration or level of notification corresponding to the movement. The control pattern is, for example, information generated experimentally or based on the behavior of the vehicle when passing through a specific area. The control pattern is generated, for example, to reduce the driver's discomfort or prevent the first or second preparatory movement from being performed excessively. For example, the scene characteristic is the slope of an uphill slope. If the slope is 1, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 adopts pattern a, and if the slope is 2, the first preparatory movement control unit 112 adopts pattern b. This allows the preparatory movement to be performed according to the slope. Note that if the slope is equal to or less than a threshold, the first or second preparatory movement may not be suppressed. The slope may be information obtained from map information, or may be recognized by the driving assistance device 100 from the recognition result of the object recognition device 16.

[0080] As described above, the driving assistance device 100 can perform an appropriate preparatory movement according to the surrounding situation of the target object by controlling the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement.

[0081] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor connected to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: refer to an output from a detection device that detects the presence of an object present ahead of the vehicle, and when an index value obtained by dividing a distance between a target object among the objects and the vehicle by a relative speed is less than a first threshold, perform one or both of instructing a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle and instructing a steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering; performing a first preparatory movement when the index value is equal to a second threshold value and does not satisfy a specific condition; performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the index value is equal to a second threshold value and the specific condition is satisfied; When the index value satisfies a condition of being less than a third threshold value and the third threshold value is satisfied, it is determined that there is no space in any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the target object, and the specific condition is not satisfied, a second preparatory movement is performed; when the index value satisfies the third threshold value, and it is determined that there is no space in any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the target object at the time the third threshold value is satisfied, and the specific condition is satisfied, a second preparatory movement is performed in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed; the first threshold is less than the second threshold, the second threshold is less than the third threshold, The specific condition is that the vehicle is encountering a situation in which another vehicle is accelerating or a situation in which the speed of the vehicle is being suppressed. Driving assistance device.

[0082] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10 Camera 12 Radar equipment 14 LIDAR 16 Object recognition device 80 Driving controls 100 Driving assistance device 110 Braking control unit 112 First preliminary operation control section 120 Steering avoidance control unit 130 Second preliminary operation control section 132 Steering avoidance possibility determination unit 200 Driving force output device 210 Brake equipment 220 Steering device

Claims

1. a braking control unit that refers to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present ahead of the vehicle, and instructs a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition; a steering avoidance control unit that instructs a steering device of the vehicle to avoid contact with the target object by steering; Equipped with the braking control unit includes a first preparatory movement control unit and a second preparatory movement control unit, The first preparatory operation control unit, performing a first preparatory action when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition; performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition and also satisfies the specific condition; The second preparatory operation control unit is a second preparatory movement is performed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is not satisfied; a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progression after performing the steering-based avoidance at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is satisfied; the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle is higher than the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle is higher than the second condition, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle is higher than the third condition, the first preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration, the second preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration, the suppressed first preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the first preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied, the suppressed second preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the second preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied, The specific conditions include a situation in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an entrance to a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a service area, a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a branch road onto a main road, or a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a main road onto a branch road. Driving assistance device.

2. The specific condition is a situation in which another vehicle ahead of the vehicle accelerates or a situation in which the speed of the vehicle is suppressed. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 .

3. The suppression of the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means delaying a timing of performing the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first preparatory action or the second preparatory action is an action of increasing a deceleration rate of the vehicle or an action of notifying a driver of the vehicle. The driving assistance device according to claim 3 .

5. the first preparatory action or the second preparatory action is an action for increasing a deceleration rate of the vehicle, The suppression of the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement means suppressing an increase in the rate of deceleration. The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the first preparatory action or the second preparatory action is an action for notifying a driver of the vehicle, The suppression of the first preparatory movement or the second preparatory movement is suppression of the degree of notification given to the driver of the vehicle. The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit, depending on the type of the scene, determining the degree or manner of inhibition; The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The scene is one in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road. the first preparatory movement control unit or the second preparatory movement control unit determines the degree or manner of suppression depending on the gradient of the upward slope. The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Driving assistance devices, referring to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present in front of the vehicle, and instructing a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition; instructing a steering device of the vehicle to steer to avoid contact with the target object; performing a first preparatory action when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition; performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition and also satisfies the specific condition; a second preparatory movement is performed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering to avoid the object at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is not satisfied; a driving assistance method comprising: performing a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when a degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition; determining that, at a time point when the third condition is satisfied, there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object in which the vehicle can proceed after performing the steering-based avoidance; and when the specific condition is satisfied; the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of approach is higher than the third condition, the first preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration, the second preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration, the suppressed first preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the first preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied, the suppressed second preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the second preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied, The specific conditions include a situation in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an entrance to a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a service area, a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a branch road onto a main road, or a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a main road onto a branch road. Driving assistance methods.

10. On the computer, a process of referring to an output of a detection device that detects the presence of an object present ahead of the vehicle, and instructing a braking device of the vehicle to stop the vehicle when a degree of proximity between a target object among the objects and the vehicle satisfies a first condition; a process of instructing a steering device of the vehicle to steer to avoid contact with the target object; a process of performing a first preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition but does not satisfy a specific condition; a process of performing a first preparatory movement in which the first preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a second condition and also satisfies the specific condition; a process of performing a second preparatory movement when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progression after performing the steering-based avoidance at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is not satisfied; a process of performing a second preparatory movement in which the second preparatory movement is suppressed when the degree of proximity between the target object and the vehicle satisfies a third condition, and when it is determined that there is no space available on any of the paths to the side of the target object to allow progression after performing the steering-based avoidance operation at the time the third condition is satisfied, and the specific condition is satisfied, the first condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of proximity is higher than the second condition, the second condition is a condition that is satisfied when the degree of approach is higher than the third condition, the first preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration, the second preparatory action includes instructing a brake device to output a braking force, instructing a traveling drive force output device to decelerate the vehicle, outputting a display, outputting a sound, or outputting a vibration, the suppressed first preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the first preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied, the suppressed second preparatory movement is a process of suppressing a degree of deceleration or delaying a timing of deceleration compared to the second preparatory movement that is performed when a specific condition is not satisfied, The specific conditions include a situation in which the vehicle is traveling on an uphill road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an entrance to a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a toll road, a situation in which the vehicle has passed through an exit of a service area, a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a branch road onto a main road, or a situation in which the vehicle is merging from a main road onto a branch road. program.

Images